Automatic fire-extinguisher.



W. H. BURTIS &M. S. HOWARD.

AUTOMATIC FIRE EXTINGUISHER. APPLICATION FILED ocr l. 1915.

1 1 89,536. Pate nted July 4, 1916.

UNITED STATES PATENT orrion.

. WILLIAM H. 'BImTIs, or nnconan, AND ormon s. HG'WARD, or wauxou, IOWA.

AUTOMATIC rInE-sx'rmGUIsHER.

Patented July 4, 1916.

Application filed October 1, 1915. Serial No. 53,562.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM H. BURTIS and MONROE S. HOWARD, citizens of the United States, residing at Decorah and VVaukon, respectively, in the counties of IVinneshiek and Allamakee, respectively, and State of'Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Fire-Extinguishers; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and ex-' act description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains-to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to new and useful improvements in automatic fire extinguishers and our object is to provide a tank adapted to contain a liquid fire extinguisher.

A- further object is to provide a suitable discharge pipe having a controlling valve therein to prevent evaporation of the liquid within the tank when not in use.

A further object is to provide a spraying nozzle for the end of the pipe, said nozzle being positioned .at a point where fires are most likely to occur.

A'further object is to provide an expansion chamber adapted to contain air, gases or liquids, whereby when fire encounters the expansion chamber, the heat will create an expansion of the contents of the chamber andforce the extinguishing fluid from the tank.

A further object is to provide a valve controlling thermostat in connection with the expansion chamber. And a further object is to provide an expansion tank when desired.

Other objects and advantages will be hereinafter set forth and more particularly pointed out in the accompanying specification.

In the accompanying drawings which are made a part of this application, Figure 1 is a perspective sectional view through one form of tank and parts Fig. 2 is an elevation partly in section showing one means of applying the extinguisher to use. Fig. 3 .is a sectional view of a different form of device, and'Fig, 4 is a detail plan view' of a difierent form of expansion chamber.

Referring to the drawings in which similar reference numerals "designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, 1 indicates a tank which may be constructed in any preferred manner, preferattached thereto. I

' ably of metal, to which is attached a discharge pipe 2, said pipe entering the tank 1 adjacent the bottom thereof and extendmg vertlcally to a point above the top of the tank, the vertical portion 3 having a valve itherem, in this instance a ball valve, which is adapted to rest upon a seat 5 and prevent evaporation of the contents of the tank. Above the valve 4 the pipe 2 is again extended in a horizontal position and to any desired point for discharging, preferably over the point where fire is most liable to occur, the free end of the pipe 2 having a nozzle 6 thereon preferably of semi-globular formation so that the contents of the tank \vlllbe sprayed over a considerable surface: w

. In order to force the liquid from the tank.

an expansion chamber 7 is provided which may be constructed in any preferred manner and is preferably positioned directly over the nozzle 6 so that the heat from the fire will have direct contact therewith, said expansion chamber being connected to the upper end of the tank 1 through a pipe 8 thus directing the pressure created by the expansion of the contents of the chamber above the liquid withinthe tank.

' The upper end of the tank 1 is provided with an opening!) through which the fire extinguishing liquid is introduced into the tank and through which air or gas may be entered into the expansion chamber, said opening having a cover or seal 10. to prevent evaporation of the contents of the tank and the gases, etc;, from escaping from the expansion chamber.

In Fig. 2 of the drawings, we have shown an extinguisher applied to use in connection with an electrical transformer 11 which is inclosed in a casing 12, the expansion chamber in this instance being located immediately above the transformer so that should a fire occur the heat will be instantly directed against the expansion chamber, thus expanding the gases or air within the expansion chamber and forcing the liquid from the tank through the nozzle 6 directly on to the transformer.

In Fig. 3 of the drawings, we have shown a Sllgl'lillXiIflOdifiGd form of device in that the valve 13 is provided with a stem 14 which projects through the upper end of the valve casing 15 and is engaged with a when the contents of the chamber is expanded the thermostat will be operated to open the valve 13 and permit the contents of the tank 1 to escape through the nozzle 6. In this form of device a compression tank I occurs before the tank is refilled, the liquid 17 is provided into which air is compressed from any suitable source through a pipe 18,

the tank 1 being connected to the compression tank 17 through the medium of a pipe" 19, said pipe entering the tank 1 at its upper end. If desired, said pipe 19 may have a branch 20 for connecting the compression tank with other liquid containing. tanks. In this form of device, when a fire occurs below the expansion chamber 7, the thermostat 16 is expanded and releases the valve 13 from its seat, whereupon the pressure of the air in the tank 17 will force thecon'teiits of the tank 1 through the discharge pipe 2 and the nozzle 6 until such time as the valve 13 is again closed.

In Fig. 4 of the drawings, a modified form of expansion chamber is shown, and in this instance the pipe 8 has its free end formed into a coil 21 thus dispensing with the expansion chamber 7, the coil being positioned immediately over the'nozzle 6 as in the other structure shown.

This device is designed primarily for the protection of electrical apparatus, such as transformers, oil switches, switch boards, moving picture apparatus and similar devices where fire is likely to occur at any time and where the space requiring protection is somewhat limited but it will be fully understood of course, that the apparatus can be used for extinguishing fires of any origin, the prime object being to locate the expansion chamber and nozzle at a point where fire is most liable to occur. .It will also be understood that while -we have shown the particular form of the device, yet we do not desire to be limited to any specific structure,

the main "feature being the automatic operation of the device caused by expansion by the heat coming in contact with the expansion chamber.

In View of the fact that the nozzle is normally positioned in a plane above the liquid in the tank thus requiring force to discharge the liquid through the discharge pipe and nozzle, the flow of the liquid from the tank will cease as soon as the fire is extinguished as there is no heat remaining to create an expansion in the expansion chamber and likewise. in the form shown in Fig. 3, the thermostatwill assume its normal position thereby permitting the valve 13'to stop the passage of the liquid through the discharge 1,1s9,5ae

pipe. It will also be understood that the tank can be readily refilled with the extinguishing liquid at any time, but if there is any of the liquid remaining in the tank after a fire has occurred and another fire remaining in the tank will be discharged through the pipe 2 and nozzle 6. it will likewise be understood that any suitable form of expansion chamber and thermostat may be used for operating the various structures shown." Therefore, we particularly desire it to be understood that chan es and variations may be made therein su ject to the claims to be made hereinafter without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus fully described our invention what we claim as new and desire to sepure by Letters Patent of the United States the upper end of the tank whereby when.

heat 1s applied to the expansion chamber, the liquid within the tank will be forced through the discharge pipe and nozzle.

2. An automatic fire extinguisher, comprising a tank adapted to contain a fire extinguishing liquid, a discharge pipe, a valvein said discharge plpe, a spraying nozzle at the end of the discharge pipe, and an expansion chamber positioned over said nozzle adapted to automatically apply pressure on V the liquid and .force the same through said discharge pipe and nozzle.

3. An automatic fire extinguisher, comprising a fluid receiving tank, a discharge 1 pipe connected to said tank, a nozzle at the end of the discharge pipe, an expansion chamber above said nozzle, and a pipe connecting the expansion chamber wlth the tank whereby when heat is applied to the expansion-chamber, the liquid within the tank will be forced through the discharge pipe and nozzle.

In testimony whereof we'have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscriblng witnesses.

WILLIAM.H. BURTIS. MONROE S. HOWARD.

Witnesses:

F. E. ORATSENBERG, R. E. BUOKNELL. 

